In Reno…

I just flew into Reno with John Edwards and his staff. They tell me that last time around they never had crowds like the ones they are seeing. I just walked past a 100-yard-long line of people.

It was really great to see Don Dodge and Alfred Thompson in New Hampshire. Don has a blog up with some photos of me. The reason he was outside was there were hundreds of people who couldn’t get inside the building, so he — unplanned — went outside and talked with the crowd. Here in Reno he’s going to have to do the same thing. There are hundreds of people who can’t get in.
The entire trip Edwards rode with us. Staff, press, and bloggers. The staffers tell me that’s highly unusual for a Presidential Candidate. I got to listen in on their meetings and their reactions.

41,000 people watched him online yesterday in Iowa.

I asked him if he’d continue blogging and getting bloggers access, he said that he’ll invite other bloggers to come along on future trips.

By the way, I sat next to reporters from Washington Post and Los Angeles Times. They told me they pay every part of the trip and won’t accept free travel or other things.

The problem is how do average citizens do trips like this and get access if they have to pay their own way? That’s going to be a problem. Maybe bloggers should start an association to pay for their own representatives to go on trips like this. That way we’ll make sure we keep our independence and credibility, while getting access to things like this.

Heheh, the staff is looking at Webmetrics right now to see what kind of increase in mentions they are seeing on the Web.

The problem is how do average citizens do trips like this and get access if they have to pay their own way? That’s going to be a problem. Maybe bloggers should start an association to pay for their own representatives to go on trips like this. That way we’ll make sure we keep our independence and credibility, while getting access to things like this.

Average citizens?? How very A lister of you. And, yeah, I’ll be tuned into those blogs all right. And running my triple-lower-case-z-list blog, and wondering why media is still just media.

The problem is how do average citizens do trips like this and get access if they have to pay their own way? That’s going to be a problem. Maybe bloggers should start an association to pay for their own representatives to go on trips like this. That way we’ll make sure we keep our independence and credibility, while getting access to things like this.

Average citizens?? How very A lister of you. And, yeah, I’ll be tuned into those blogs all right. And running my triple-lower-case-z-list blog, and wondering why media is still just media.

Ken: what you miss is that he isn’t just going to have “A listers” on his planes and in every city he met with many bloggers, most of whom I had never heard of before. He’s giving amazing access to bloggers, not just those on the Technorati A list.

Ken: what you miss is that he isn’t just going to have “A listers” on his planes and in every city he met with many bloggers, most of whom I had never heard of before. He’s giving amazing access to bloggers, not just those on the Technorati A list.

You are being used, just like the mainstream media are being used, even if they do ‘pay their own way’ – they are still invited and given privileged access. That’s the way it has always been and always will be. The event and the media (whether it’s you or the Washington Post) need each other. Average Citizen could always stay at home with a clear conscience and comment from afar. As it is, you are part of the story. I mean, why else would a US presidential candidate invite a ‘geek blogger’ along on a campaign trip? To discuss the IT aspect?

You are being used, just like the mainstream media are being used, even if they do ‘pay their own way’ – they are still invited and given privileged access. That’s the way it has always been and always will be. The event and the media (whether it’s you or the Washington Post) need each other. Average Citizen could always stay at home with a clear conscience and comment from afar. As it is, you are part of the story. I mean, why else would a US presidential candidate invite a ‘geek blogger’ along on a campaign trip? To discuss the IT aspect?

Ken and Ross: I’m sitting with the campaign staff and they say you’re wrong. They want Z listers along, not just A listers. They say the A listers are too worried about placating their audiences. Which is true. Note how I haven’t talked much about what Edwards actually said yet in terms of political stances.

Ken and Ross: I’m sitting with the campaign staff and they say you’re wrong. They want Z listers along, not just A listers. They say the A listers are too worried about placating their audiences. Which is true. Note how I haven’t talked much about what Edwards actually said yet in terms of political stances.

Wow, some people just don’t get it. The average citizen now has another media to hear what a candidate has to say, he also can talk to that candidate and expect an answer. This does not require traveling, or expenses, (well, you do need a computer and internet access). Before blogging the only access the average citizen had was through a news source not his questions, but the questions of the reporter.
The ability to put lower case triple z-listers on the same bus as the Washington pot reporter would be nice, but frankly, it is not all that necessary. Yea, I want to make sure that everything I ask through a blog his being answered by the candidate and not a Spin Doctor, but lets face it, you 41,000 on a town hall meeting with a couple of folks not in your immediate presence, and still get questions from everybody, the results are the same.

Technology is giving the average Joe closer access to anybody that wants to be president.

Wow, some people just don’t get it. The average citizen now has another media to hear what a candidate has to say, he also can talk to that candidate and expect an answer. This does not require traveling, or expenses, (well, you do need a computer and internet access). Before blogging the only access the average citizen had was through a news source not his questions, but the questions of the reporter.
The ability to put lower case triple z-listers on the same bus as the Washington pot reporter would be nice, but frankly, it is not all that necessary. Yea, I want to make sure that everything I ask through a blog his being answered by the candidate and not a Spin Doctor, but lets face it, you 41,000 on a town hall meeting with a couple of folks not in your immediate presence, and still get questions from everybody, the results are the same.

Technology is giving the average Joe closer access to anybody that wants to be president.

Pter: of course I’m being used. But the fact that you know it, and I know it, and they know it, makes it all out in the open where we can discuss this. Tbey are the most out in front of the all the candidates in how they are using the Web to have conversations with all of us, not just people who support Edwards.

I’m not yet an Edwards supporter, by the way. I’m more of a fiscal conservative and those beliefs run counter to many of Edwards’ stances.

Pter: of course I’m being used. But the fact that you know it, and I know it, and they know it, makes it all out in the open where we can discuss this. Tbey are the most out in front of the all the candidates in how they are using the Web to have conversations with all of us, not just people who support Edwards.

I’m not yet an Edwards supporter, by the way. I’m more of a fiscal conservative and those beliefs run counter to many of Edwards’ stances.

Ken: well, I’ve seen him asked all the toughest questions I expect to see come up and seen him stand up and answer them. I’ve had better access to him in the past few days than most members of the press, or even of many of his staff.

Ken: well, I’ve seen him asked all the toughest questions I expect to see come up and seen him stand up and answer them. I’ve had better access to him in the past few days than most members of the press, or even of many of his staff.

Robert, If it is used for bad, the blogoshere will not tolerate it. Look at what is happening with the Microsoft Notebook situation, it did not take long for the populace to express their concern and for Microsoft to back off.
I expect that with politics it will be even more so, a lot of people have a natural suspicion of politicians anyway.

Robert, If it is used for bad, the blogoshere will not tolerate it. Look at what is happening with the Microsoft Notebook situation, it did not take long for the populace to express their concern and for Microsoft to back off.
I expect that with politics it will be even more so, a lot of people have a natural suspicion of politicians anyway.

Ken, True, being a blogger does not make one moral, it makes his words exposed thus open to scrutinity and critique.
If you are going to make a written statement and expose it to the world, it will make you think about what and how you will write.

Ken, True, being a blogger does not make one moral, it makes his words exposed thus open to scrutinity and critique.
If you are going to make a written statement and expose it to the world, it will make you think about what and how you will write.

Ken: what you miss is that he isn’t just going to have “A listers” on his planes and in every city he met with many bloggers, most of whom I had never heard of before. He’s giving amazing access to bloggers, not just those on the Technorati A list.

If your coverage is an example of the results of this, then I’m going to be busting a kidney laughing when you suddenly realize that having bloggers on the plane will change nothing. Let’s look at the percentages:

Percent of you babbling on about how cool it is that Edwards is talking to Bloggers: 100

Percent of you actually SAYING SOMETHING about WHAT HE SAID: Zero.

Wow, thank GOD for bloggers. I now know EVERYTHING about Edwards’ positions on EVERYTHING. Why, this is MUCH BETTER than traditional media and their stupid spin doctoring. Nothing but pure honest facts and figures here.

the circle jerk gets more frenzied, and the information gets ever smaller.

Ken: what you miss is that he isn’t just going to have “A listers” on his planes and in every city he met with many bloggers, most of whom I had never heard of before. He’s giving amazing access to bloggers, not just those on the Technorati A list.

If your coverage is an example of the results of this, then I’m going to be busting a kidney laughing when you suddenly realize that having bloggers on the plane will change nothing. Let’s look at the percentages:

Percent of you babbling on about how cool it is that Edwards is talking to Bloggers: 100

Percent of you actually SAYING SOMETHING about WHAT HE SAID: Zero.

Wow, thank GOD for bloggers. I now know EVERYTHING about Edwards’ positions on EVERYTHING. Why, this is MUCH BETTER than traditional media and their stupid spin doctoring. Nothing but pure honest facts and figures here.

the circle jerk gets more frenzied, and the information gets ever smaller.

John: I haven’t said anything about his policies on purpose. My blog isn’t about politics. It’s very easy to get a good look at his stances. He was online the other evening for 1.5 hours. But, here’s my list:

Gay rights. Yes.
War. Pull out, starting now.
Medical care. Wants national medical care.
Stem cell research. For it.
Global Warming. Thinks it’s a place where we need to do a LOT more (gave a bunch of specifics).

I’ll put together a more comprehensive list, if you want. But there are other places to do that. A wiki is much better for that kind of thing.

And, video certainly is better. WHy? Why should I be another gatekeeper on his ideas? Why shouldn’t you just listen to what he said and draw your own conclusions?

John: I haven’t said anything about his policies on purpose. My blog isn’t about politics. It’s very easy to get a good look at his stances. He was online the other evening for 1.5 hours. But, here’s my list:

Gay rights. Yes.
War. Pull out, starting now.
Medical care. Wants national medical care.
Stem cell research. For it.
Global Warming. Thinks it’s a place where we need to do a LOT more (gave a bunch of specifics).

I’ll put together a more comprehensive list, if you want. But there are other places to do that. A wiki is much better for that kind of thing.

And, video certainly is better. WHy? Why should I be another gatekeeper on his ideas? Why shouldn’t you just listen to what he said and draw your own conclusions?

And, John, you haven’t even seen my interviews or recordings yet. Not to mention I haven’t had time to process what I heard, and it’s not my job to be a news reporter. If you want to know what he said, read the Washington Post’s reports. That guy is much better at reporting that than I am.

And, John, you haven’t even seen my interviews or recordings yet. Not to mention I haven’t had time to process what I heard, and it’s not my job to be a news reporter. If you want to know what he said, read the Washington Post’s reports. That guy is much better at reporting that than I am.

Ah, Robert, give us some of your opinion please. This is all so dull. Comments are more interesting than the posts. It doesn’t matter that your blog isn’t about politics, and it doesn’t matter if you piss off half your readers. Just give us some authentic blogonzo!

Ah, Robert, give us some of your opinion please. This is all so dull. Comments are more interesting than the posts. It doesn’t matter that your blog isn’t about politics, and it doesn’t matter if you piss off half your readers. Just give us some authentic blogonzo!

YOU were on the damned plane. If you weren’t going to do anything with it, then you should have given up your seat to someone else. Because son, you got used, tattooed, and abused. You gave Edwards a ton of legitimacy, based solely on the fact that he knows how to use the intarweb.

I already KNEW his friggin’ positions, I’m one of those freaks who, unlike you, don’t wait to be spoon-fed my political information, nor did I think that prior to the “glories of teh bloooogosphere”, that:

It used to be the only place to get political information was to look at the propoganda done by the major parties, or by reading the voter pamphlet, or by reading the occassional editorial or news report in either your local newspaper or in a paper like the Washington Post or New York Times, or by attending a rally and listening to a speech

Political awareness and voting are your PRIMARY jobs in return for whatever benefits you get out of living in this country, and yet you firmly believe that there was no easy way for the masses to get political information until you and the “blogosphere” arrived in a puce flash of wonder.

This is going to be a fun campaign though. You just showed then how to get the “blogosphere” to line up and drop to their knees on command…just make you think that they buy into your “importance”. “Oh yes Robert, we really think that the blogosphere and social media will be a huge change in the 2008 election, and we want to make sure that everyone has this kind of access to John.” Sound familiar? Bet you got told that, or something real similar, damned near constantly. Stroke, stroke, stroke, “Hey look guys, you can get a blogger to roll on his back in only three buzzwords!” “Dude, you win at blogger bingo!”

The only thing you cared about on this was pushing the religion of blogging, doing some witnessing for the “blogosphere” and getting some more converts. Next time, bring along someone with a clue about politics instead of pissing it away on your religion.

YOU were on the damned plane. If you weren’t going to do anything with it, then you should have given up your seat to someone else. Because son, you got used, tattooed, and abused. You gave Edwards a ton of legitimacy, based solely on the fact that he knows how to use the intarweb.

I already KNEW his friggin’ positions, I’m one of those freaks who, unlike you, don’t wait to be spoon-fed my political information, nor did I think that prior to the “glories of teh bloooogosphere”, that:

It used to be the only place to get political information was to look at the propoganda done by the major parties, or by reading the voter pamphlet, or by reading the occassional editorial or news report in either your local newspaper or in a paper like the Washington Post or New York Times, or by attending a rally and listening to a speech

Political awareness and voting are your PRIMARY jobs in return for whatever benefits you get out of living in this country, and yet you firmly believe that there was no easy way for the masses to get political information until you and the “blogosphere” arrived in a puce flash of wonder.

This is going to be a fun campaign though. You just showed then how to get the “blogosphere” to line up and drop to their knees on command…just make you think that they buy into your “importance”. “Oh yes Robert, we really think that the blogosphere and social media will be a huge change in the 2008 election, and we want to make sure that everyone has this kind of access to John.” Sound familiar? Bet you got told that, or something real similar, damned near constantly. Stroke, stroke, stroke, “Hey look guys, you can get a blogger to roll on his back in only three buzzwords!” “Dude, you win at blogger bingo!”

The only thing you cared about on this was pushing the religion of blogging, doing some witnessing for the “blogosphere” and getting some more converts. Next time, bring along someone with a clue about politics instead of pissing it away on your religion.

Robert,
It was nice to meet you on the trip. I also spoke with someone from NPR about how they pay for the trip. I know that you had someone paying for your trip, but I agree that most “bloggers” have daytime jobs and couldn’t afford it – I couldn’t.

I thought that was the point of your post. What we are looking at is the same five or six bloggers getting access if they have to pay for it themselves. At least Edwards is having short meetings with local bloggers at every event, maybe that is the solution. Local bloggers at each event.

Robert,
It was nice to meet you on the trip. I also spoke with someone from NPR about how they pay for the trip. I know that you had someone paying for your trip, but I agree that most “bloggers” have daytime jobs and couldn’t afford it – I couldn’t.

I thought that was the point of your post. What we are looking at is the same five or six bloggers getting access if they have to pay for it themselves. At least Edwards is having short meetings with local bloggers at every event, maybe that is the solution. Local bloggers at each event.

Blogs are great for social change. However, when they are manipulated by political parties; …
blogs(Robert) no longer seem credible. Robert I miss reading about things which are worth my time. Please let the rest of the media get abused by the peoples PIMPS. Return to your roots before it is too late. Say hello to the Dixie Chicks and Jane Fonda while you are touring with the Edwards crew. P.S. How much polar ice did your plane ride melt. LOL and L and L

Readers, remember, spin doctors are standing by on the plane with Doctorate degrees ready to respond to any post. Wireless plane planning potential poison pen preemtive protective posturing. The royal PEE PEE dance.

Please don’t make us suffer through this too much longer. How about more on SAP or SPSS? The wii vs the box? How about statistical predictions for strategy of the EDDY crew. Lets get technical, technical we wanna get technical … lets get into technical.

Blogs are great for social change. However, when they are manipulated by political parties; …
blogs(Robert) no longer seem credible. Robert I miss reading about things which are worth my time. Please let the rest of the media get abused by the peoples PIMPS. Return to your roots before it is too late. Say hello to the Dixie Chicks and Jane Fonda while you are touring with the Edwards crew. P.S. How much polar ice did your plane ride melt. LOL and L and L

Readers, remember, spin doctors are standing by on the plane with Doctorate degrees ready to respond to any post. Wireless plane planning potential poison pen preemtive protective posturing. The royal PEE PEE dance.

Please don’t make us suffer through this too much longer. How about more on SAP or SPSS? The wii vs the box? How about statistical predictions for strategy of the EDDY crew. Lets get technical, technical we wanna get technical … lets get into technical.

Blogging, just like any other human activity, comes with a cultural baggage.
It’s simply not possible for a blogger to be culturally unbiased, and frequently cultures inherit morals from the religious beliefs that gave birth to them, and take them as a given.
While this, well adjusted people will agree is generally *good*, it works well as basic foundation laws. ( never kill, never steal)

What we’re talking about here is *not* about morals, not something society or culture imposes on individuals, but ethics, which is an entirely different, and way more complex thing that can’t be taken as a given.

Ethics covers the analysis and employment of concepts such as right, wrong, good, evil, and responsibility.

Keyword: Analysis, *we* analyze and decide, not “the others”, not you, not the moral cultural baggage.
We together set the ethical standards of the profession.

That’s not morals. That’s Ethics.

It’s funny how this argument/meme you use is repeated all the time by supposedly free thinkers.

Just imagine supporting your case against lawyers for their morals, it just doens’t compute.

Blogging, just like any other human activity, comes with a cultural baggage.
It’s simply not possible for a blogger to be culturally unbiased, and frequently cultures inherit morals from the religious beliefs that gave birth to them, and take them as a given.
While this, well adjusted people will agree is generally *good*, it works well as basic foundation laws. ( never kill, never steal)

What we’re talking about here is *not* about morals, not something society or culture imposes on individuals, but ethics, which is an entirely different, and way more complex thing that can’t be taken as a given.

Ethics covers the analysis and employment of concepts such as right, wrong, good, evil, and responsibility.

Keyword: Analysis, *we* analyze and decide, not “the others”, not you, not the moral cultural baggage.
We together set the ethical standards of the profession.

That’s not morals. That’s Ethics.

It’s funny how this argument/meme you use is repeated all the time by supposedly free thinkers.

Just imagine supporting your case against lawyers for their morals, it just doens’t compute.

Why are you into politics now? Why do you like John Edwards that much and why were you invited to all his travels? I do not get what a tech blogger like you is doing in the politic world. Now that you left MS, are you thinking to become “the” president

Why are you into politics now? Why do you like John Edwards that much and why were you invited to all his travels? I do not get what a tech blogger like you is doing in the politic world. Now that you left MS, are you thinking to become “the” president

Albert: I used to really be into politics. I took pictures at both Ronald Reagan and Walter Mondale rallies in 1984. In 1992 I helped our school paper cover Clinton’s visit to our school.

I just stay away here cause usually there isn’t much about politics that interests me anymore.

Am I thinking of becoming “the” president? Hell no. I can’t do that job. I don’t have the skills to stand in front of 1,500 people and have a vision of where I want to lead America. I have enough trouble doing that with the tech industry.

Why was I invited? I was on a panel discussion at Gnomedex with one of their staff members and we met Elizabeth Edwards at ConvergeSouth. I think they just liked me and wanted to learn from me what was happening in the blog world. Also, my audience has a lot of money and power, and they certainly want to be tagged as a grass-roots campaign that connects people on the Internet.

Albert: I used to really be into politics. I took pictures at both Ronald Reagan and Walter Mondale rallies in 1984. In 1992 I helped our school paper cover Clinton’s visit to our school.

I just stay away here cause usually there isn’t much about politics that interests me anymore.

Am I thinking of becoming “the” president? Hell no. I can’t do that job. I don’t have the skills to stand in front of 1,500 people and have a vision of where I want to lead America. I have enough trouble doing that with the tech industry.

Why was I invited? I was on a panel discussion at Gnomedex with one of their staff members and we met Elizabeth Edwards at ConvergeSouth. I think they just liked me and wanted to learn from me what was happening in the blog world. Also, my audience has a lot of money and power, and they certainly want to be tagged as a grass-roots campaign that connects people on the Internet.

Robert, I’m having hard time believing how naive you seem to be. The Edwards campaign is not interested in you blogging “the experience”. What they hope to get from you is another vehicle to carry their message, in whatever form that be. You can pretend to be merely a vessel, but once the campaign gets into full swing, if they don’t see any benefits from your blogging then you will be quickly uninvited to tag along. Soon all that will matter is money and how much you can generate for them, either directly or indirectly.

@19. Thanks for at putting his positions out there. At least now my question was answered as to how his 2008 platform will be different from 2004. The answer? It apparently isn’t. He lost badly in the primaries in 2004. Why does he thing the same positions will resonate this time? None of those issue are of ANY interest to anyone voting for President:

Gay Rights? This issue is dead, dead, dead at a national level. Doesn’t he pay attention? It gets voted down on every ballot it has been on? Gays have the same rights everyone else does. They can marry anyone of the opposites sexy they want, just like everyone else. So…there is NO discrimination. Marriage laws have nothing to do with love or what one’s sexual preferences are. So, good luck with that one. Mr. Edwards

War? Pull out? That’s his plan? Great plan. What does he see as the consequences of that? Did he study the Vietnam War at all? Pol Pot and Cambodia ring any bells with him? BTW, he does realize that his lack of military service disqualifies him for the presidency? Didn’t we set that standard in 2004 thanks to Kerry?

Medical Care? Now that’s hilarious given that his past career did wonders to contribute to the HIGH COST of medical care. Is he feeling guilty now?

Stem cell research. Remind me again why this is any responsibilty of a President? He does know there is plenty of stem cell research going on today, right? I’m surprised he’s not ready to sue someone over it

Global Warming? Great! Now he’s channeling AlGore? Marvelous. What does he think a President can do to solve this hoax? Is he blaming man? If so, then how does he explain evidence of global warming on Mars? Another losing issue that voters don’t care about from their President.

Funny, I see no mention any actual plans around this. What will be his tax policy? (higher taxes I’m guessing)

Removing Iraq from the equation, what’s his plan for the war on Terrorism. Or does he think that once we pull out of Iraq then there will be no terrorism to concern ourselves with.

I agree with Welch. This whole thing was a waste of everyone’s time. Have some balls. Either say your intention was to be his sycophant or show that you were there to get “the real story”

Robert, I’m having hard time believing how naive you seem to be. The Edwards campaign is not interested in you blogging “the experience”. What they hope to get from you is another vehicle to carry their message, in whatever form that be. You can pretend to be merely a vessel, but once the campaign gets into full swing, if they don’t see any benefits from your blogging then you will be quickly uninvited to tag along. Soon all that will matter is money and how much you can generate for them, either directly or indirectly.

@19. Thanks for at putting his positions out there. At least now my question was answered as to how his 2008 platform will be different from 2004. The answer? It apparently isn’t. He lost badly in the primaries in 2004. Why does he thing the same positions will resonate this time? None of those issue are of ANY interest to anyone voting for President:

Gay Rights? This issue is dead, dead, dead at a national level. Doesn’t he pay attention? It gets voted down on every ballot it has been on? Gays have the same rights everyone else does. They can marry anyone of the opposites sexy they want, just like everyone else. So…there is NO discrimination. Marriage laws have nothing to do with love or what one’s sexual preferences are. So, good luck with that one. Mr. Edwards

War? Pull out? That’s his plan? Great plan. What does he see as the consequences of that? Did he study the Vietnam War at all? Pol Pot and Cambodia ring any bells with him? BTW, he does realize that his lack of military service disqualifies him for the presidency? Didn’t we set that standard in 2004 thanks to Kerry?

Medical Care? Now that’s hilarious given that his past career did wonders to contribute to the HIGH COST of medical care. Is he feeling guilty now?

Stem cell research. Remind me again why this is any responsibilty of a President? He does know there is plenty of stem cell research going on today, right? I’m surprised he’s not ready to sue someone over it

Global Warming? Great! Now he’s channeling AlGore? Marvelous. What does he think a President can do to solve this hoax? Is he blaming man? If so, then how does he explain evidence of global warming on Mars? Another losing issue that voters don’t care about from their President.

Funny, I see no mention any actual plans around this. What will be his tax policy? (higher taxes I’m guessing)

Removing Iraq from the equation, what’s his plan for the war on Terrorism. Or does he think that once we pull out of Iraq then there will be no terrorism to concern ourselves with.

I agree with Welch. This whole thing was a waste of everyone’s time. Have some balls. Either say your intention was to be his sycophant or show that you were there to get “the real story”

LayZ: well, I might be naive, but there’s clearly SOME people who care about these issues. In every city he talked about them he got cheers. He got standing ovations in every city he visited. What’s different this time around? Bush has so screwed up our country lots of people are really pissed. Even my right-wing brother is pissed at Bush and what he’s done.

LayZ: well, I might be naive, but there’s clearly SOME people who care about these issues. In every city he talked about them he got cheers. He got standing ovations in every city he visited. What’s different this time around? Bush has so screwed up our country lots of people are really pissed. Even my right-wing brother is pissed at Bush and what he’s done.